THE PRETTY RECKLESS // CHICAGO, IL

November 15, 2016

This past Friday, The Pretty Reckless headlined a show at House of Blues in Chicago as part of their current US tour. After listening to their newest album, Who You Selling For, and really enjoying their sound, I definitely couldn’t wait to hear them perform it live.

In a heavily male-dominated industry, one thing that always catches my attention is female fronted bands–in this case led by vocalist Taylor Momsen. I am all for supporting females in the music industry so I, like most of the crowd, was excited to be in attendance. The entire venue was packed with anticipating fans, spanning the whole floor and overflowing the balcony. After the two opening bands, it was time for what we were all waiting for. The lights went dark and out walked the band. As the intro sounds from “Follow Me Down” played through the speakers, the four-piece took their spots on stage. When the song began, the crowd was ecstatic.

Momsen’s control of the room with her powerful voice and presence proved to everyone exactly why she belonged in a rock band. She wasn’t afraid to work the stage, and she interacted with not only the rest of the band and the audience, but also with us photographers in the photo pit. She made my experience even more memorable by playing to my camera.

The set continued on with “Hangman,” “Take Me Down,” and several other songs that definitely pleased the crowd, and they had fans singing along from the start of their set all the way through the closing song’s last note. Ben Phillips, Mark Damon, and Jamie Perkins demonstrated their talents to the fullest extent with each song, and, ultimately, the stage presence and sonic aspects of The Pretty Reckless’ performance showed that this band is the complete package. I left the show having had an awesome experience, and this will not be the last time I see The Pretty Reckless live. I’d recommend the same to you.